Computer systems employ sets of information. A set of information may be a computer application program, or one or more files containing data, such as sales information.
To update a computer system with a set of information, automated tools may be used. Such automated tools receive the state of a target computer system and compare that state with the state of a computer system onto which the set of information has been installed. The automated tools then use the result of the comparison to determine the files and other information in the set of information that are not on the target computer system. The automated tools can then supply such files and other information that can be used to update the target computer system so that it has the set of information.
The determination of the files and other information such as registry information that are changed (e.g. added, deleted or modified) when a set of information is installed on a computer system may not be obvious. For example, a complex computer software application may have hundreds of different files. If the software application is an upgrade from a prior version, some of the files of the prior version may be left alone, some may be deleted, others may be replaced by new versions, and still other files may be added. Thus, it can be desirable to compare the state of a computer system before a set of information is installed, with the state of the computer system after the set of information is installed. The differences can be noted and the new or modified files supplied to a program that will create a package of the new or modified files and other information useful for changing a computer system in a manner similar to the changes made to a computer system on which the set of information has been installed. This process is referred to herein as “packaging” the set of information.
To determine the changes that are made when a set of information is installed on a computer system, the computer system can be placed in a state that is known (or the state of the computer system before the set of information is installed may be ascertained), and then the set of information is applied to the computer system. For example, if the set of information is a software package, after the computer system has been placed in a known state, the software package is then installed. The state of the computer system after the software package has been installed is then compared with the known state of the computer system to determine the changes that the installation produced.
There is a problem with this approach. The process of placing the computer into the known state and the process of installing some software packages can be time consuming. An operator performing the various steps must initiate the step and then wait for the step to complete. Although a relatively unskilled person may be used as an operator for this process, if there are many sets of information such as software packages for which the process must be completed, the expense of the operators required can become significant.
What is needed is a system and method that can reduce or eliminate the amount of operator time required to package sets of information.